THE ANGEL AND THE LION
by deathgeonous
Summary: The transport ship to the Planet Zi was not the only one that was sent out by Earth, Nor was it the first. This is the story of a surivior of a failed atempt by man to colonise the Galaxy, one that crash lands on Zi.


AN: Well I thought I'd take a break from all the Ranma fan fiction I've been writing to see how I do in another genre. This is an AU of Zoids that uses no cannon characters. It is an AU in other ways as well, but the world it most closely resembles is that of Chaotic Century, yet there are many differences.

Also, since these are all original characters, and since I'm also doing something to the overused Shield Liger, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me how I'm doing developing these characters, and if I fall into the dreaded Mary Sue trap for ANY of them, including the Liger.

I'm writing this piece for a couple of reasons. One I need to do something other then Ranma. Not that I'm abandoning my other fics, I'm defiantly not, I just need to expand my horizons. Two is I need to do something with original characters, and The Zoids Universe of Fan Fiction seems quite agreeable to that. And Three is I just wanted to.

So please, take the time to review this, and tell me what you think of it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Zoids. I do not own any fictional person, place or thing used in this story. I do not own any real person, place, or thing used in this story. All original persons, places and things used in this story as well as the story its self is mine though.

Summery: The ship that transported the human colonists to Planet Zi was not the only colonist ship that that left Earth for the stars. This is the tale of a survivor of one of the failed transport ships. She crashes on Plant Zi, and then her tale truly begins.

THE ANGEL AND THE LION

CHAPTER ONE

THE LADY AND HER LIGER

Space

Space is vast, with many habitable worlds in it. That was the primary thought that led to an over populated Earth sending out colonizing space ships long, long ago. There were many worlds found in this way. Some managed to eventually communicate with Earth again. Some did not. There were also many failed attempts at finding a new world.

Right now a life pod was floating through space. A life pod from a ship from the first failed attempt to colonize the galaxy. In it was a girl of some seventeen years. As she floated through space in her cryonic sleep, the life pod she was in was actively searching for a life sustaining planet to land on.

As it searched, its cargo slept peacefully, in an undreaming state. After hundreds of years, the life pod had detected a suitable planet. What was even more surprising were the radio transmissions and oblivious signs of human habitation. Correctly deducing, with its very limited AI, that this planet was a human colony, it activated its rockets to change its course for the planet.

It was correct. This was a human colonized planet. It was called Planet Zi by its inhabitants. As the life pod entered the atmosphere it headed for a highly concentrated area of life.

Unfortunately, it was perceived as threat by some Guylos Empire soldiers and was shot at by their Zoids. This then led the life pod to fly away towards the safety of the relatively uninhabited desert.

As it flew over the desert, its systems went critical, and it knew it was soon going to explode. But its occupant was its only concern. It did not have the time to land and initiate the lengthy unfreezing process. So it detached the cryo tube and set it to awaking its sleeping occupant while it streaked off into the distance. As the cryo tube fell harshly on to the sand, the propulsion system of the life pod detonated in mid air a thousand miles away.

Hours later the cryo tube hissed open, and the girl fell out, still unconscious. She was tall, about five foot ten with an athletic build and waist length hair. The hair was an unusual color for one of her age. That of pure snow white. As she lay shivering in the desert sun, she slowly opened her eyes, revealing them to be a blueish grey. As she sat up, she grabbed her head and asked in a voice that obviously had not been used in some time "Uhh, what happened?"

As she looked around her and saw the desolate wasteland she was in, she started to remember. "An, an asteroid hit the ship and we had to abandon it. I couldn't get to an escape ship, so I got in an escape pod. How long was I in it? Where am I? Are there any other humans around?" she asked herself.

Slowly standing up, she started to stretch, when something caught her eye. Covering her eyes to shade them from the sun she saw what looked to be a large building. "Is that a building? I may as well head there." She said to herself.

After determining that there was nothing she could salvage from the cryo tube, she set off towards the building. Hours later, around sundown, she finally arrived. She was tired, hungry, and especially thirsty. She was also disappointed as it looked like this place had been abandoned for some time.

"Crap." She said. "I hope this place at least has a water supply." She said thoroughly disappointed. She entered through a broken door and entered what was obviously an entrance room. She explored a little, hopping to find the kitchen and water. She noted what looked like locker rooms, a bathroom, and a meeting room before finding what she sought, the kitchen.

As she entered she immediately dashed towards the sink, and turned on the faucet. "Come on, come on." She chanted as the pipes shuttered and clacked. Then the water came. At first it was brown with dirt and who knows what else, but after a short while it ran clear. Immediately sticking her face under the stream of water, she greedily drank it up. After getting enough, she sighed in content and turned the water off.

Searching the kitchen to see if there was any food left, she found the petrified remains of fruit and meat, but she did also find some military MRE's. Sighing again, this time in sadness, she ate one with some water. Putting her head on the table, she then quickly dozed off, tired from her long day after just awakening from her long cryo sleep.

The abandoned building: days later

She had explored everywhere in her new home, everywhere but behind one locked door. She had deduced that this was once a military research base of some kind. She had found a large bedroom and had claimed it as her own. She had lugged many things into the room, guns and ammo, MRE's, clothes, bath supplies, and books and documents. She had been trying to teach herself how to read this worlds language. It seemed to be based on her own, but it had obviously changed over time. Wondering again how long she had been under cryo sleep, she set back to the task of learning.

The abandoned building: months latter

She was board. Board and restless. She had learned enough of the langue used by the people who had run this building to get a fair idea of what happened here. This was a Zoid research facility for the Helic Republic, what ever that was. But what amazed her was the Zoids. She couldn't believe the description of what they were. Semi intelligent organic machines that were found already on this planet by the settlers and used for tasks from construction and mining to war machines. Especially war machines.

That was the purpose of this base, she had found out. To make Zoids better suited to warfare. She had found in the base commanders files what was behind the sealed door, if not how to open it, for it needed his key card and an eye and palm scan from him.

Behind the door was a Shield Liger. A good smart Zoid perfect for the experiment the lead scientist had noted. The Shield Liger was chosen not for its power, for there were many more powerful Zoids according to the report, but for it's obvious above average intelligence for a Zoid.

The purpose for the experiment this base was built for was not to make a Zoid more powerful, that would come much latter if at all, but to increase the intelligence of a Zoid. And the Shield Liger was chosen because it was a very intelligent Zoid already.

She wanted to see this Zoid. See it and try to communicate with it. She had found out she was in the middle of a very large desert and that there were no settlements near by, at least as of the time that this base was active. She assumed since the base wasn't picked clean that this was still true.

She spent her days dividing her time between studying the documents in the base, learning all there was to know on the smart Shield Liger behind the locked door, trying to open said locked door, and finally one other thing.

She had found the base training room. It was a VR setup that let one practice controlling a Zoid with out actually being in one. As such it contained data on many different Zoids. Saberlion, Command Wolf, Shadow Fox, Konig Wolf, and of course Shield Liger. She practiced on all, but spent the most time on the Shield Liger, for she knew there was one in the base.

Finally she was getting impatient. She had been in this base for close to six months and she was not only running out of MRE's, but she was also utterly sick of them. Searching a storeroom she found her salvation, plastiqe. Yes, she had found some explosives.

Gathering her things and packing them into a few bags, she then read the instructions on the explosives many times. She did not want to kill herself opening that thrice damn door.

Finally she was ready. She followed the instructions to the letter, nervous the whole while. Then getting to the end of the hall and around the corner, she pressed the remote detonation button. After a very loud explosion, she waited to the count of a hundred and slowly peeked around the bend of the corridor. The door had been destroyed.

Jumping up and screaming "YES!" she grabbed her bags and ran into the room. What she then saw stooped her cold.

Behind a large green force field of some sort was a gigantic cat like machine. "Wow! Is that the Shield Liger?" she asked herself going into the room. As she entered lights came on all over the room showing that the only thing in the room besides the Zoid was a control panel of some sort. Looking over it she saw it had three important functions. One was to open the door at the end of the room. One was to lower the force field around the Zoid and one was to activate the Zoid. She did the last one.

Activating the Zoid she stepped back and looked up. The Shield Liger was painted red with black stripes and it had black eyes. Looking at it, she saw that the eyes now were glowing instead of lifeless. As the Zoid sat up it roared loudly, causing the girl to cover her ears and scream.

"Don't do that!" she shouted at the Zoid. The Zoid stopped and tilted its head to the side, not quite understanding why it had been yelled at by the tiny human. Going over its memory banks, it saw that this human was not one of the ones it had ever seen, the ones that poked and prodded and tested it so much. After further searching it saw that it had been over twenty years since it had last been activated. It was needless to say, confused, to put it mildly.

Cocking its head to the other side it looked at the little human, waiting for it to speak.

"Hey," the human said to it "The records of this building say you're supposed to be really smart, can you understand me? Do you understand my words?" the human asked it. It nodded. It had learned long ago how to respond to yes and no questions.

"Ok, good. My name is Seraphim Gatic. If you can believe it, my cryo stasis pod from the space ship I was in crashed a few miles from this base about six months ago. When I got here this base had been deserted, and for quite some time by the looks of it. I found out about you and finally got that stupid door open. I have a proposition for you. I'll let you out of here, if you'll agree to let me pilot you. I know, I know, it's a pretty one-sided deal, but you're my only hope of getting out of here alive. Will you let me pilot you? There's not enough food in this base to last me another month, and I bet you'd rather be outside then in a stinking cage, am I right?" the human said to it.

It thought about the offer. 'Well' it thought, 'I was designed to be piloted by some one, and this human is the only one here, and it will get me out of here…so ok.' It thought nodding its head in confirmation to the deal.

"Fine then, lowering the shield" the human said to it, looking over the control panel. Pressing a button, and then another, the shield lowered and the door to the outside started to open. Picking up a few bags, the human, Seraphim it said its name was, came over to it. Looking up at it Seraphim asked "Hey! How do I get in you?"

Lowering it's self to the lay on the ground, its canopy popped open and a metal rolling ladder went down its side. "Thanks!" Seraphim said to it, adjusting her bags so she could carry all three up at once.

After stowing her bags behind the seat and then sitting in the pilots chair and strapping herself in, Seraphim looked over the controls. "Sorry kitty, but this is the first time I've ever been in a Zoid. I did do some practice piloting over the last few months on the base sim, but that's not like doing it for real you know. Say do you have a name?" she asked, settling into the controls.

The screen displayed in the langue she had just spent so much time learning "No. They just called me Project Alpha-One."

"That utterly sucks. Hmm, how about Leonard, or Leo for short? I mean you do look sort of like a lion…" she said trailing off.

"That is expectable." The newly christened Leo displayed upon its screen. Making Leo stand, Seraphim then started it towards the doorway to the out side.

The desert: a few days latter

Seraphim had been spending a lot of time getting to know Leo and his systems. He wasn't like the training Shield Liger she had gotten used to. He was far more sophisticated. He had the normal E. Shield, Shock Cannon, and Laser Saber that normal Shield Ligers had, but he had also been equipped with a long range rail gun, and a short range Laser Gattling Gun. Now the up side to all his weapons were the fact that they didn't run out of ammo, persay, but instead ran out of charge and had had to wait to power up again.

It was not just the weapons and the intelligence of Leo that made him different then other Shield Ligers, it was also his cockpit arrangement. It was confusing at first, for some things were in different places then she had learned in the sim, but after Seraphim got used to it, she found this arrangement was far more intelligently designed.

She had been wandering the desert for a few days, hoping to just stumble upon a village, she had no idea what she'd do then, probably get some sort of job, when she came upon what looked to be the start of a battle. As she reached the top of a sand dune she saw a Command Wolf and a Konig Wolf were on one side of a valley and about twelve Zoids that Leo identified as Rev Raptors were on the other. She had Leo scan transitions to see what was going on.

"Ha ha, are the big bad bounty hunters scared? We out number you six to one man! I suggest you just surrender and maybe we'll spare your lives!" Came from one of the Rev Raptors.

"Sorry, no can do." Came the reply from the Command Wolf's pilot, a woman that looked to be in her mid twenty's. "We were hired by that village to get you for your crimes and we never give up on a job."

"That's right." A man in what looked to be his mid twenty's said. "Besides, scum like you could never defeat us!"

"Is that so? Well then, ATTACK!" the Rev Raptor leader yelled.

As Seraphim watched the battle, she noticed something. The Rev Raptor group was fighting strangely, "It's, it's as if they're waiting on something." Seraphim whispered. Seraphim may be new to this world and Zoids in particular, but she was smart. And also she knew how to strategize. True most of her strategizing up to this point was done in chess games, but she knew when some one was sacrificing a few pawns to get a queen in position for check mate.

"Leo, look around! Are there any other Zoids here?" She cried out.

Leo's screen lit up after a few moments with "Yes. There are two Dark Horns approaching from the rear of those two. They will arrive in three minutes."

"What's a Dark Horn?" she asked looking for the Zoids. Seeing a picture of one she winced. "That looks nasty." She said "Try to contact one of the Wolves Leo, we've gotta warn them!"

"Will we assist?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, I guess we better. Hey Wolf pilots, hey Wolf pilots!" She shouted into her communicator.

The female pilot of the Command Wolf's face appeared on the screen "What is it? We're kind of busy right now!" She growled out as she batted a side a charging Rev Raptor.

"Well you're soon going to be a hell of lot busier! These were just pawns to get the rooks in place!" seeing she had confused the woman she yelled "There's two Dark Horns coming up behind you! They'll be here in less then three minutes!" she shouted.

"Shit." The woman cursed. "We don't have time for these weaklings, but we can't stop fighting them to prepare for those brutes." She said engaging another Rev Raptor.

"Look, I'm up on the dune. I can try to slow them down till you can take care of these guys. Just come help me when you take care of these guys." Seraphim said.

"Sure. And thanks." The woman said.

"No problem." Seraphim said in reply.

She edged a little ways down the dune bank, till she was about one hundred feet from the two Wolves. Sighing she waited for the appearance of the Dark Horns. She did not have to wait long. About twenty seconds after she got into position they appeared.

Leo was standing on to of a dune about twenty feet above them vertically and about fifty feet away, horizontally. Targeting the one closest to her, the right one, Seraphim opened fire with her laser gattling gun. It tore into its armor up and down the right side, severely wounding it. After she had spent about a quarter of the guns charge, the other Dark Horn fired at her. It missed, thankfully, but hit a section of the dune right below Leo's feet, causing her to slide down to their level.

"Oh, shit." She mumbled as she saw the unwounded Dark Horn charge at her. She did the only thing she could think of. She had Leo jump strait up. As she came down, an idea came to her, angling her landing she landed roughly on the Dark Horns back. She then set Leo to biting and clawing its back.

After about thirty seconds of this punishment the Dark Horn managed to throw her off. As she was laying on her side the Dark Horn charged again and knocked her back. Shaking her head she saw it was going to do the same thing yet again. Quickly bringing up Leo's E. Shield, the Dark Horn crashed against it instead of Leo. Standing up, Seraphim saw that the more wounded Dark Horn was about to fire a weapon, while the relatively untouched Dark Horn was going to charge her again. She only had time to hit one of them she decided.

Deciding to take the hit from the Weapon, Seraphim shot the Dark Horn in its chest twice with Leo's Shock Cannon, before unloading all she could from her Laser Gattling Gun into the Dark Horns head. As the head of her target exploded, the second Dark Horns blast hit Leo in the left side, knocking her over and away.

Shaking her head Seraphim saw that the Dark Horn was getting ready to fire yet again, when a blast hit the weapon that was about to fire, making it explode. Looking over to her right Seraphim saw the Command Wolf with the gun on its back smoking. The female pilot then broadcast "You are the only functioning Zoid left. Surrender now."

The Dark Horns only response was to roar and charge at Leo. It was stopped by two shots. One to the left foreleg by the Konig Wolf and one to the head by the Command Wolf.

Standing up Seraphim checked Leo's vitals over. Cosmetic damage only she thought happily. She was still getting down from her adrenalin rush when her communications screen showed the female Command Wolf pilot.

"Thank you for your help Miss." The woman said.

"Seraphim, my name is Seraphim." The Seraphim said.

"Ayla." The woman said. She had red hair and bright green eyes, ones that narrowed in thought when she responded. Her thoughts were 'She has a very odd accent. I can't place it at all. I wonder where she's from?'

"Pleased to meet you Ayla. Um, I'm kinda lost, do you know where the nearest town is?" She asked Ayla.

"Well I suppose I could just tell you, but if you can wait a while, the authorities will be coming to pick up the survivors, and I can take you there." Ayla said.

"Well, ok." Seraphim said in response to that.

Ayla signed off for a moment, saying she had to contact the authorities to pick up the survivors. While she was doing that, her male partner went around looking for the survivors. Out of the twelve Rev Raptors, there were eleven survivors, but both the Dark Horn pilots had been killed. As the man tied them up at the foot of his Konig Wolf, Ayla's face came back on Seraphim's com screen.

"Well they'll be here in about three or four hours. So what's your story? You seem kind of new to this." Ayla said in an attempt to probe some information from Seraphim.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Seraphim said laughing.

"Try me." Ayla said, narrowing her eyes.

"Maybe later." Seraphim said shaking her head.

"Ok, so what are you doing out here besides being lost?" Ayla asked in another probe.

"Um, looking for the nearest town. Probably need to get a job seeing as I have no money." Seraphim answered vaguely.

"Hmm. You did pretty good against those two Dark Horns. Interested in joining up with us?" Ayla asked Seraphim, not quite sure why she did so.

'What? Why did I ask that?' Ayla thought. 'I mean she's good and all, but she's obviously a rookie. Damn my soft heart.' She thought.

Seraphim thought about it for a few moments. 'Hmm, this was exiting, but I could die doing this. But on the other hand I really don't know what I can do on this planet, and this will give me a chance to learn about life here so…' she thought and finally said "Sure. I'd love to."

A valley in the desert: three and a half hours latter

Seraphim was sitting in front of a fire with Ayla shivering. The man, who had been introduced as Zeb, was over with the prisoners, guarding them. They had just buried the three dead bodies and Ayla was pretty sure she knew what Seraphim's shivering was about, and it wasn't the temperature.

"The realization just getting to you?" Ayla asked Seraphim.

"Huh?" Seraphim asked looking up and blinking.

"The fact that you killed some one. Is the realization just sinking in?" Ayla asked politely.

"Yeah. I mean I knew he was dead, but when I saw what I did to him…" she trailed off, remembering the roasted corpse that looked like blackened burnt meat crossed with Swiss cheese.

"This your first time seeing death?" Ayla asked softly.

"No." Seraphim, whispered, remembering all the people she saw die in explosions on her way to her life pod. "I've seen plenty of people die, but this was the first time I killed one you know?" she said looking at Ayla.

Sighing, Ayla asked Seraphim "If we have a battle, can you do it again? Can you now, knowing that you may have to kill again, do this?" She asked the young girl.

"Yes. I think I can. And that's another thing that bothers me." Seraphim said.

Ayla laughed. "Good!" She cried out. "As long as it still bothers you, you're still human. Now cheer up, for it looks like our pay check has arrived." She said listening to the sounds of an approaching Gustav.

Ayla quickly stood up, followed by Seraphim. As the Gustav approached Ayla saw the symbol on it, designating it as part of the marshal's forces, and relaxed.

After the Gustav arrived, and the occupants of it came out, one man came over to Ayla and Seraphim, while the rest of the men went over to secure the prisoners.

"Well, hello again Ayla!" The man said cheerfully. Then noticing Seraphim he slightly scowled. "You have another partner? Sorry Ayla, but the contract was just for you and Zeb. I don't have the pay for this girl." He said frowning.

"The contract was also just for a band of eight, that's eight Rev Raptors. Not twelve Rev Raptors with two, that's Two Go Damn Dark Horns!" Ayla slightly yelled back. "If it wasn't for my new recruit's good sense, we would have been too busy fighting the Rev Raptors to notice the Dark Horns sneaking up behind us! As it was she had to take them out by her self while Zeb and I were busy with the Rev Raptors! Now you will pay her, and give us all a ten percent bonus on top of it, or do I have to take it up with the marshal himself on how bad you do your research on your targets before assigning them to hunters?" she then shouted at the man.

The man cringed and sweated. "Ah, no. That will not be necessary." He said nervously. "You'll all get your money. Just come back to town with me, and I'll get it. I don't have that much with me, you see." He told Ayla nervously.

"Fine then. Let's get going." Ayla said heading back for her Command Wolf. Seraphim went to Leo, and Zeb headed to his Konig Wolf, and after all the bandits and all the sheriff's men were aboard the Gustav, the Zoids then loaded the Gustav with the remains of the enemy Zoids for the to the three of them to sell for scrap, as per the contract, and off they went.

The town of Dead Man's Rock: in the bar/inn The Snakes Hole: later that night

It was around midnight. They had gotten their pay, and deposited it in their accounts, starting one for Seraphim, who was surprised how easy it was, and then sold the damaged Zoids to the junkyard for more money, splitting it fairly evenly and then depositing that in the bank as well. They then headed over to the nearest bar/inn and had dinner and drinks. Well Seraphim just had dinner. Then around eleven or so, Seraphim excused her self to go to bed

"Tell me," Zeb said, drinking his beer "Why'd you hire the girl? She's good for a rookie, but that's all she is, a rookie." He asked, refilling his glass from the pitcher of beer.

"I don't know." Ayla said shaking her head. "She's a mystery Zeb. She said she was lost, and had no money, but there's more to it. I can feel it." She said taking a small sip of her own beer. "I mean come on! She's in what looks to be a brand new Shield Liger, with a weird, might I add, paint job, comes along us fighting, volunteers to hold off two Dark Horns for us, does pretty well at it too, and is totally evasive about her past! Saying things like we would believe it and crap!" she said, draining the rest of her beer in one shot.

As she poured more beer into her glass, Zeb asked "You think she's a deserter from some army?"

"No. I'd say she has no military training. And very little time in that Zoid of hers. Speaking of which, that Zoid seems a little odd, don't you think? And I don't mean just the paint job." She said looking at Zeb.

"Yeah, it seemed, well, different then most Zoids I've seen. I don't know how though. Where do you think she got it?" Zeb asked.

"I don't know. And I doubt she'll tell us any time soon. She seems to like to keep secrets." Ayla said sighing. "I'm guessing she found it while she was lost. It didn't look like anything had happened to it till she came upon us. It still looks almost brand new. So I'd say she stumbled across it in the desert in mint condition and learned how to pilot it by her self. You can see she's self taught. Good, but self taught." Ayla said, sipping more beer.

"Yeah, I could see that." Zeb said sighing. Putting his glass down, he looked his boss in the eye and said "Just be sure your love of mysteries doesn't come to bite us in the ass." He then stood up, picked up his glass and drained it, then said "I'm off to bed. See you in the morning boss." And then putting his glass down, he headed towards the stairs.

Sighing, Ayla finished her beer, and looking through the glass said "I hope so too." And set down her glass and headed to the room she was sharing with Seraphim.

The town of Dead Man's Rock: The bar/inn The Snake's Hole: Eight AM

Seraphim awoke to an odd sound. That of someone singing. Looking over she saw Ayla singing as she got dressed. "Funny, you didn't strike me as a morning person." Seraphim said getting up.

"Guilty as charged." Ayla said smiling.

As they got ready Seraphim asked "So what happens now?"

"Well since our Zoids are still in tip top shape, I thought we'd try to find another job. This town seems like a dead end, for now, but I heard of a town a few hundred miles away that is have a real problem with bandits. A really big problem. They're looking to hire multiple groups of hunters and it's being lead by the Marshal himself, so you know it's a big problem. I've never heard of anything like it. You think you're up to it?" Ayla asked.

"Um, sure. When did you find out about it?" Seraphim asked getting her clothes.

"Some time after you went to bed. It looks like they're trying to gather an army of hunters." Ayla said shaking her head. "That must mean the bandits have an army. I've been a hunter for over five years and never have heard of anything like this. I wonder how the bandits got so large a force? Well come on, and after breakfast we'll get going. Zeb already said he's all for this." She said leaving the room.

During breakfast they planed. Well Ayla and Zeb planed. Seraphim just sat back and listened. Zeb pulled out a map and showed Ayla what he considered the best route to the town with the bandit problem, Red Gorge, and where he thought they should be wary of the bandits. Finding Zeb's route acceptable, Ayla Ok'd it. Rolling up the map and putting it away, they went back to their meal and discussion.

"So, any idea what kind of Zoids these bandits have?" Zeb asked Ayla, while shoveling in his eggs.

"Not a clue. All I know is they're a large force. Seems the town even asked for military help, but the bastards just said it's a civilian matter and the marshal has jurisdiction." Ayla said irritably.

"Can't blame them really." Zeb replied through his eggs. "Even though this desert IS technically under the rule of the Republic, we're really just a buffer zone for them. If they did come out in force, even to stop a bandit army, the Empire would see it as an act of aggression and use it as an excuse to start the war they want." Zeb said moving on to his pancakes.

"What worries me is where the bandits got all the resources to build an army. It's like someone's backing them." Ayla said shaking her head.

"That is troublesome." Zeb said nodding. "I just hope it's not who your implying." Zeb said cleaning his plate, moving on to his orange juice.

"I hope so too. The pay is just too good not to do it though." Ayla said in a slightly worried tone.

"Um, I hate to ask, but you're saying that the Empire might be backing this bandit army? Why would they want to do that?" Seraphim asked quite confused.

Zeb looked at her and asked in a shocked tone of voice "Girl, where have been?" Getting no answer from her he sighed and said "The Empire wants to go to war with the Republic, right?" Still getting no response from the mystery girl he continued with "But they want to look like the injured party in the war, so they'll have the support of the other smaller countries. This desert used to be under the Republic's control years ago, but after a nasty war with the Empire about twenty two years ago, this desert was abandoned as a full part of the Republic and made into a protectorate. Follow me so far?" Seraphim nodded. "The last time the Republic came into this desert, which was about eight years ago, they were doing some training exercises, when the Empire told them to back off or they'd attack, seeing the presence of the Republic forces as a sign of a coming attack. The Republic said they were doing no such thing. Things got heated for a few weeks till some higher ups in the Republic army got the bright idea that the Empire was trying to pick a fight. So they left, after some harsh words. And the Republic has never sent in any of its forces again. That's about the time that the marshal's forces were appointed by the Republic to keep order, followed shortly after the marshal starting the hunter system, by offering bounties on bandit Zoids." Zeb paused to take a breath and said "So you understand? If the bandits truly are backed by the Empire, then having the Republic forces come in here would be really stupid, because the Empire would have its reason to start its stupid war." Zeb finished saying, then he finished his orange juice.

"Uh, ok. One more question. Why is the Empire so anxious to start a war?" Seraphim asked.

"Where have you been hiding?" Ayla asked, shaking her head "You really must tell us some day. Anyway they want to start a war so they'll control the whole continent. Stupid reason right? And the funny thing is, all the smaller countries that the Empire hopes will support it in their set up war, knows it and will never help them. Their just too focused on the idea to see reality." she said shaking her head. "Anyway since we're all done with breakfast let's get going. The journey should take about two days." She said standing up, effectively ending all conversation between the three of them.

On a mountain path in the desert: on the way from Dead Man's Rock to Red Gorge

"Ok." Zeb said "This is the perfect place for an ambush, so scanners up." Zeb said.

"I think that's my line." Ayla told Zeb in a teasing tone.

"Well, yeah, it is, but I said it first." Zeb replied haughtily, to which Ayla laughed.

Seraphim was looking around. The mountain path they were on was really a tiny valley between the tops of two connecting mountains. Looking around she saw flashes of light here and there, but her radar was still showing nothing. "Still showing nothing Leo?" she asked it.

"No. but it is possible that they have optical camouflage armor to reduce my chances of finding them. Are you sure you see something Seraphim?" Leo asked.

"Yeah I'm sure." She replied to Leo.

Opening up her com to her companions she said "I hate to interrupt this witty conversation, but I think we have company." Seraphim said.

"What? My scanners don't show a thing!" Zeb replied.

"I think they're stealthed or something. I don't show them on my scanner either, but I keep seeing flashes of light here and there." Seraphim replied.

"What are you…Oh you're right." Ayla said looking around. "There's at least three of them, no make that four, and they seem to be Atak Kat's. That would explain why our scanners didn't pick them up. Ok people lets keep going and pretend we don't see them, and when they try to spring their trap, we'll be ready. Everyone keep an eye out for more enemies and try to spot their attack point." Ayla said to them.

Zeb had gotten out a map after that and a few minutes latter he was on the com saying "I think I've figured out where they'll hit us. About ten miles away is a bowl shaped depression in this gully trail. Prefect spot to hit us." He said.

"Ok, now how do we turn that area to our advantage? They'll probably hit us from behind as we enter the center…" Ayla started, when Zeb interrupted with

"If they don't already have units ahead of us, waiting to pinch us between them…"

"And we can't lock on to the Atak Kat's as long as their optical camouflage armor is on…" Ayla continued, when Seraphim interrupted her with

"If I could make a stupid suggestion?" she asked.

"What is it?" Ayla asked.

"Well we can't lock onto them while they have their stealth stuff up, right?" Seraphim asked.

"Yes…" Ayla said not quite getting where this was going.

"Well I could just spray the area I see the Atak Kats in with my gattling gun, keeping them busy, letting one of you try to manually target them and the other look out for a second group." Seraphim said.

Ayla was quiet for a moment, and then she said "That's not that bad a plan. Ok you watch these kitties. When they pounce let'er rip. Zeb, you keep your eyes open. Tell us the second you spot anything suspicious. And since I have the biggest gun I'll try to blast those blasted kitties with it while you lay suppressing fire. Good plan Seraphim, glad I hired you." Ayla told Seraphim who blushed with the praise and then said

"Thanks."

A few minutes later they arrived at what they assumed to be the ambush sight. Keeping a sharp eye out Seraphim saw the four bright flashes which were the Atak Kats. Screaming "Now!" Seraphim had Leo jump up and turn one eighty she opened random fire with Leo's gattling gun.

The enemy Atak Kats were totally caught off guard.

As the stream of laser fire went from right to left, the enemy Atak Kats took a few hits each. Then as Seraphim reversed the stream of fire, this time going from left to right, they started dodging.

Seraphim alternated firing at each Atak Kat as they presented themselves as a target. As she was alternating fire from the left middle one to the right middle one, the one on the far right took a bad hit to its right side courtesy of Ayla's Command Wolf's two beam cannon. As it was falling it took another blast to its underbelly.

Soon as Seraphim switched the to one on the far left, it jumped over the laser fire, only to be shot by Ayla on the way down, again twice.

As the one next to it froze, Seraphim tore it apart with her gattling gun.

Finally the last one must have decided enough was enough, because it turned to run. It got about thirty feet before Ayla's Command Wolf's two beam cannon roared three times, hitting the Atak Kat in the ass each time, effectively crippling it.

"I never saw any signs of any more enemies boss." Zeb said over the com to Ayla.

"Good. Then since you didn't have to do any work, you can secure the prisoners." Ayla told Zeb.

"Ahh, do I have to?" Zeb asked.

"Yes." Ayla said sternly.

"Fine, fine. What about the Zoids?" Zeb asked.

"We'll attach them with metal cables to Seraphim's Liger." Ayla said.

"Huh? Why my Liger?" Seraphim asked puzzled.

"Simple." Ayla said. "You" she pointed at Seraphim over the com screen to emphasize her point "have a shield. If we get into another fight, you are the one least likely to be hurt by the enemy carrying your cargo." She said.

"Ok, I guess that makes sense." Seraphim said.

"Good. Then get out and help me attach the cables." Ayla said.


End file.
